The invention relates to a system and method for distributing software over a network. More particularly, the invention relates to a method for controlling software distribution by embedding a sub-component of the distribution control software in each software application, and having a central monitoring software for monitoring the distribution of the software applications.
Digitally encoded information, or software, is one of the most economically important commodities of the era. The ease and economy with which perfect copies can be made and distributed has promoted the spread of software and related technologies through traditional commercial channels such as retail and mail-order sales. More recently, non-traditional distribution channels such as distribution over networks of interconnected computers such as the Internet have become more viable. These non-traditional distribution channels have made it difficult for software creators and copyright holders to regulate the use of their creations or to receive payment and registration information from their users. Consequently, software producers forfeit substantial revenues and valuable information about their customer base and potential markets while businesses and universities find themselves subject to legal prosecution and intimidation for software piracy.
Various security methods have been employed in an attempt to inhibit illegal copying of software. Such attempts have included software security, such as password protection and requiring original diskettes to initiate startup, for example, and hardware security, such as a dongle, for example, inter alia. Further, hardware-based copy protection techniques, as well as those which involve modification or customization of executable programs, prevent software vendors from exploiting the non-traditional distribution networks that are becoming a mainstay of software distribution in the software marketplace. Therefore, these protection methods have generally proved inadequate for large-scale commercial distribution of software. Thus, most large software companies have relied on shrink-wrap licenses and legal remedies to enforce their copyrights which have proved moderately effective.
Another challenge to the software industry is regulating the installation of software. Since individual users perform most installations of software, the vendor has no control over the software installation. A user can currently purchase software that will not run on the user's computer. The user may not know the limitations of the user's computer hardware or may not understand the software's hardware requirements. If a user purchases software and the user's computer hardware is inadequate to run the software, then various problems are going to occur in the installation and execution of the software on the user's hardware. The user will have to spend much time and effort attempting to resolve the problem, often including multiple calls to the vendor's technical support lines at a cost to both the vendor and potentially the user.
Additionally, companies having large networked facilities can internally have thousands of networked computers accessible by numerous content servers on a single network. Each of the content servers can be running any of various operating systems as can the computers with which the servers are communicating. From an information management standpoint, maintaining such a computer base can be very difficult given that each user may have to install their own software or, in the case of networked software, each server has an individual copy of networked software for a subset of the users.
Many computer users are reluctant to purchase software on-line due to security issues. The possibility of piracy of the software and, more importantly to the user, personal information inhibits many users from taking advantage of this method of transaction. Some on-line services include security features for such information, but generally lack an ability for the user or the service to audit the security of the transmission. In addition, on-line services generally do not allow the service to keep users informed of new products and releases, unless the users release personal information to the service.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a secure system and method for distributing software applications over a computer network and collecting payment therefor.
It is another object of the invention to provide control over the installation of the software application and, if necessary, easy access to technical support.
It is still another object of the invention to provide secure billing and user information for the service providers of the software applications while inhibiting piracy.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a company with an auditable distribution control of software within the company.
It is still another object of the invention to provide independent auditing of software transactions to reassure users of privacy.
These and other objects of the invention will be obvious and will appear hereinafter.